The National tribune., 1887-06-02

$4,000.
Mai. Poore was most eonvivial in his nature
and thorough qoyer Of social entertainments.
Nobody ever loved good story better than he,
and nobody ever knew better how TO relate
one. An ordinary aHecdote became a master
piece OF wit under his skillful manipulation,
and he was thoroughly. popular with both old
and young men. A biographical sketch, how
| ever restricted, would be incomplete without
at least mention of the old family homestead
on Indian Hill Mass, in which seven genera
! tions Of his family have breathed their last
| This property was acquired by the family as
| early as l6JO in a very peculiar way. Shortly
| after the SIayfower landed on bleak New Eng
land shores, an ancestor of Ben: Perley Poore
| came over 10 this country, being one of the
earliest pioneers. He purchased team of
oxen and large wagon, and organized an over
! land route between Portsmouth and Plymouth.
| On one of these Journeys the lone stage was
attacked by band of Indians, who killed the
oxen, and the owner made complaint to the
| Governor Of Massachusetts, who summoned the
| chief Of the offending tribe before him. In re-
| turn for the oxen the Indians ceded Indian
| Hill to the owner, and the property has re-
mained in the family for ovor two centuries
| and n quarter. At the time the Salem witches
were burned the shrewd old pioneer, who had
erected dwelling on the site, took some of the
timber Of the domicile in which the unfortu-
nate women had lived and built an addition to
his house with it.
In this ancient habitation many curious and
precious relics are stored, among them being
the manuscripts Of Congressional messages from
every President since Buchanan, the bed that
Napoleon died on, aud q number of George
WashingtOn's love letters.
The deceased leaves a wife two sisters and
a grandchild. He had two daughters, both Of
whom he survived. His grandson, Ben: Per-
ley roore Mosely, Of Newburyport is the last
direct descendant of his house, and the veteran
journalist was the last of his name. On sew
eral occasions prior TO his death he signified
his intention of leaving the family homestead
and its contents TO the Massachusetts, Histori-
cal Society. Sunday afternoon the remains
left Washington for Massachusetts,.
For more than 40 years Maj. Poore has been
| a voluminous writer, and was, perhaps, the
best known and most widely quoted of all the
correspondents at the National Capital His
recent contributions to THE NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE were received with marked favor by its
readers.
RESTORED AT LAST.
Gen. Ben z. Runkle has had n career marked
by startling vicissitudes. He was a young
lawyer and leading Democratic politician of
Logan County, o., when the war broke out.
Then he and the Douglas Guards-a political
military company, which he commanded
volunteered for service and entered the 18th
Ohio. He continued in the regiment when il
was reorganized for three years, and was pro-
NOTED Major shortly after the battle of Carni-
fex Ferry. AT Shiloh he was terribly, and it
was supposed mortally, wounded. Partially re-
covering at last from his wounds ho was COM
missioned Colonel of the 45th Ohio with which
he served a year. when he was again pros
trated, and after several attempts TO keep the
field was at last discharged in 1864, but &C
cepted Lieutenant ColoneIs commission in
q l.. D a ~. D. n -
assigned TO duty in the Freedmen's Bureau,
where he had some thrilling experience during
the Memphis riots. Next he was commissioned
Major in the 43d U. s., but in 1872 was court
martialed and dismissed. He brought suit,
claiming that this was improperly done. Last
week the Supreme Court of the United States
decided that the approval Of the President of
the proceedings was necessary to perfect them,
and this not having been given, the sentence
was null and void, and that Gen. Ruukle stands
in the same position he would be if the trial
had never taken place.
ARMY INDEMNITY CLAIMS.
Some Of the claims for indemnity for loss Of
property and clothing by army officers and
soldiers afford no little amusement to the ac-
counting officers OF the Treasury. There are
over 300 of them, and the claims range from
$50 70 5000. The articles for the loss of which
indemnity is claimed are ia many cases rather
Ouu. Ouc cOlultE GiuDfACcS IN MS claim the
following items: One oyercost, 800; second
hand toothbrush, 80 cents; enc hymn-book, 80
cents; one pack playing-cards, 81. Another
wants 81 for the loss OF whatnOts. A claimant
asks 81 for an Evangeline and yet another re-
| quests $3.50 for the loss Of lone housewife
complete" These claims arise under the act
Of March 3, 1885. The act is so indefinite that
the Secretary OF War refused to pay any of the
claims until this week, when Serg't Mckinney
| GRANTED Indemnity fnr lnag nf ~ "A
clothing in the line of duty. Secretary Endi-
colt has asked for further legislation on the
subject. But Congress ut its last session failed
| 20 take any action which would be in the na-
ture of an Interpretation of the act A board
/ OF officers was finally appointed to prepare q
list Of articles for which claims could be made.
] The list being completed, was approved by the
| Secretary and the accounting officers. None
of the claims now OH file will be settled in a
| hurry, as the Secretary hopes to obtain some
| legislative action next Winter. In the mean
time, however, the accounting officers will take
mp the claims and consider their legal features.
Those that seem TO be covered by the provisions
| OF the act viii be submitted TO the Secretary of
| War, who will decide whether the articles for
which indemnity is claimed were actually lost
in the line of duty. If he concludes that they
were, the claims will then be paid by the ac-
counting officers.
VISITOR FROM SALISBURY, N. O.
Prof J. o. Crosby. Principal Of tho State Nor
nal School at Salisbury, n. c. was in the city
last week, on his way North in the interests
| OF the institution of which he is the head.
| Prof. Crosby, who is bright mulatto, and a
| gentleman OF education, was a slave during the
| war, and the servant of Gen. Means, who CON-
manded the officers prison at Columbia, s. C..
/ lie was also servant Of Wm. Staunton, the suit
| Ter Of the prison. lie was in position to rem
| der many little fayOrs to the officers who were
| imprisoned there, and doubtless many Of them
still remember him. He would be glad to hear
| from any OF them.
| PERSONAL MENTION.
The Governor Of Indiana brought with him
as member of his staff Capt. Isaac Il. Strouse,
OF Rockville, Commander Of the "McCune
| cadets, and one of the rising journalists of
| Indiana. Capt. Strouse was born since the war,
but most Of the males of his family did good
| service in the field. lie is a clever writer, and
afreqnent contributor 20 Eastern magazines and
periodicals, besides doing much good work on
the paper OF which he is the associate editor.
VETERANS IN THE CITY.
Maj. Vim. kreuzberg, 1Slst Ohio. Lafayette,
! ina. MAJ. hreuzberg gets his title from the
| lst Ind. Veteran Legion, of which he has re-
Gently been promoted Major. He is also In
| speclor OF the Department Of Indiana. GAR.
| Capt. n. i. ThrockmoTton, formerly of the
4Oih Ind. Capt. Throckmorton is Adjutant OF
the lst Ind. Veteran Legion, an organization
made up wholly Of veterans of the war of the
| rebellion.
Comrade ]. B. Cheadle, formerly Of the 9th
/ Ind Cav and now Mnr,hnr nf Cono.as., f.o,,,